The Ming Dynasty took an unconventional approach

Chapter 414 Tian Daniu

"Wang Zhen, the most popular person around the emperor, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department," Tian Daniu said excitedly, speaking in a clear and loud voice, "He is well-versed in Confucian classics and is good at observing people's intentions. It can be said that when the emperor is thirsty, he brings him tea, when he is hungry, he brings him food, and when he is sleepy, he brings him a pillow. If you were in his place, would you like such a close friend?"

The smile on the emperor's face faded slightly, and it was true when he thought about it.

No, what Wang Zhen did was even better than what Tian Daniu said. Sometimes, he himself didn't even feel thirsty or hungry, but he could deliver delicious tea and meals to people. Only when they took a sip did he feel thirsty and hungry.

This is still a small matter. The most important thing is that in the court, he also knows what he is thinking.

The Battle of Luchuan had been fought twice, and some officials in the court opposed it from the very beginning.

But the imperial court insisted on fighting two battles, and the people and some officials simply thought it was Wang Zhen's intention. Therefore, during the two battles of Luchuan, Wang Zhen was impeached and criticized.

But only the emperor knew that the Battle of Luchuan was his idea. He wanted to fight this battle to consolidate the reputation of the Ming Dynasty, seize control of the court from the hands of the Three Yangs' old ministers, and establish his prestige.

Wang Zhen is just a knife.

Wang Zhen knew everything he was thinking, and could be his vanguard in anything he wanted to do.

So, even though he had just seen Wang Zhen accepting bribes behind his back, although he was angry, he did not want to use him. If the knife was not working well, he could just sharpen it and knock it a few times.

At this time Pan Yun still asked him to listen to Wang Zhen's story. Zhu Qizhen did not show it on his face, but he sneered in his heart.

However, it’s okay to listen to it and just treat it as a story or a joke.

"like--"

"Like it, I like it too," Tian Daniu said with a smile, "but there are not many people in this world who can do what Wang Zhen does. First, they don't have his keen eyesight, and second, they don't have his courage."

"Speaking of which, although Wang Zhen's family background is average and not very wealthy, it is not too bad either. He was able to study and go to school since he was young, got married when he was old enough, had children when he was old enough, and even passed the imperial examination to become a scholar," Tian Daniu shook his head and said, "It's a pity that he failed the imperial examinations several times."

"He thought about it and realized that even if he passed the imperial examination, he would still have to take the imperial examination and then start as a county magistrate of the seventh or eighth rank. He had failed the examinations several times, which showed that he was not as knowledgeable or as talented in writing as the others. Even if he could become an official, he would probably be a minor official for the rest of his life. So he made up his mind and castrated himself."

Tian Daniu stroked his beard and laughed, "When he castrated himself and entered the palace, he asked me to do it for him!"

Zhu Qizhen: !!!

Xue Shao: ! !

Zhu Qiyu and Cao Jixiang both widened their eyes at the same time, and even Yun Yan couldn't help but turn his head.

Except for the five of them, it was not the first time for the others to hear this story, so although they laughed, they were not surprised at all.

Zhu Qizhen finally showed some interest. He looked like he wanted to know, but was too embarrassed to ask: "What do I want you to do?"

"That's a lot," Tian Daniu listed them one by one, "We need to find a good surgeon to perform the surgery. We need to be careful when we castrate him at his age. If we go wrong, someone could die."

"So I found him a master from the palace. He had at least three to five hundred eunuchs who entered the palace, if not a thousand. They were all castrated just like that."

"I also rented a house for him and hired someone to take care of him. When his injury healed, I also helped him get into the palace. It can be said that from the time he came to the capital until he entered the palace, I was the one who was helping him the whole time."

Xue Shao narrowed his eyes and asked, "Then you should have a good relationship. He is in a high position and has great power now. How did you end up like this?"

"That's a good question!" Tian Daniu said, "We do have a good relationship. He has been doing very well since he entered the palace. When the late emperor was alive, I used his influence to rise from a low-ranking official to an eighth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue. I was just one step away from being promoted to the eighth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue."

Tian Daniu held out a finger, looked at Xue Shao and the others with tears in his eyes, and grinned, "I'm just one step away from being sent out to be a county magistrate, just one step away."

Xue Shao fell silent, his eyes full of compassion.

Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but ask: "What's the difference?"

Tian Daniu retracted his finger, turned his head and smiled at him: "The previous emperor died, the young emperor ascended the throne, Wang Zhen became the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department beside him, and I was dismissed from my post."

Zhu Qizhen was silent.

"Then, I was arrested on trumped-up charges. The old eunuch who stabbed me back then died a long time ago. All the people I helped to connect with have become successful thanks to his influence. I am the only one who took care of him the most, but I am the only one who was suppressed by his trumped-up charges."

Tian Daniu knocked on his legs and cried and laughed: "He asked someone to break his leg. I still don't know why. Did I fail to take good care of him when he castrated himself?"

Pan Jun took out the water bag, unscrewed it, took a sip, and raised his eyebrows, "Uncle Tian, ​​how long have you been here?"

Tian Daniu said, "It's been five years. Fortunately, an old friend rescued me. In addition, Wang Zhen was almost killed by the Empress Dowager, so I managed to escape and fled here."

"Five years, and you still don't know the reason." Pan Yun shook his head in disappointment and said directly: "Because you are closest to him and treat him the best."

Tian Daniu was stunned.

Pan Jun shook the water bag and laughed, "You were the only one who saw him during his most miserable and painful time."

Pan Yun leaned towards Zhu Qizhen, staring at him, "My Lord, if you become successful one day, can you allow someone like this to stay by your side?"

Zhu Qizhen: "I have been on a meteoric rise."

Pan Yun: "How about rising again after falling into trouble?"

Zhu Qizhen affirmed: "I will never be in trouble."

Pan Yun smiled and turned to look at Xue Shao, "What about you? If you become successful one day, how would you treat all your friends who witnessed your miserable state when you were in trouble?"

Xue Shao: "I will cherish it."

Pan Yun: "You are a good person. This is what a person with good character does."

She asked the dazed Tian Daniu, "Uncle Tian, ​​do you think Wang Zhen is a good person?"

Tian Daniu shook his head blankly, "He is not. He is greedy for power and will seek power for his relatives and friends. He has nothing to do with being a good person." Pan Yun's lips curled up slightly, "Yes, then how can you expect him to tolerate your existence like a good person?"

Pan Yun turned to look at Zhu Qizhen and said quietly, "How can you expect him to be loyal like a good man?"

Zhu Qizhen's face darkened, and anger flashed in his eyes. "Pan Yun, you are not trying to hide it at all. Are you trying to sow discord?"

Pan Jun shook his head, "I'm not trying to sow discord, I'm just stating the truth."

"If you had answered me that you put yourself first, I would not have brought you to see these. It was you who said that you put your family business first. As a Taoist priest who helps you solve problems, I must always consider your goals."

Zhu Qizhen sneered: "Thinking of me means alienating me from my retainers?"

Pan Yun smiled and asked, "Aren't these two things objective? Did I let Wang Zhen accept the bribe, or did I let Tian Daniu fall into this situation and then put the blame on Wang Zhen?"

Zhu Qizhen was silent.

Tian Daniu's whole body stiffened as if he was struck by lightning, his body went limp, and he fell directly to his knees on the ground.

Zhu Qizhen glared at him and before he could speak, he whispered, "Shut up!"

Tian Daniu's voice of shouting "Long live" was stuck in his throat.

Zhu Qizhen turned and left, and it was not known whether he was angry or humiliated.

Zhu Qiyu and Cao Jixiang hurriedly followed.

Xue Shao pulled Tian Daniu up from the ground, took out a handful of copper coins and stuffed them into his hand, "You tell a good story."

Tian Daniu opened his mouth, with a lot to ask, but when he looked up, he saw the young man with the knife looking back at him.

Tian Daniu trembled all over and dared not speak.

If that person is really who he guessed, then the one with the knife must be a Jinyiwei.

Wang Zhen and the Jinyiwei had such a good relationship that they could wear the same pants.

Tian Daniu’s face turned pale.

Pan Yun put a peace amulet into his hand and said, "You don't have to be afraid."

She looked at his features and smiled, "After all the hardship comes happiness. All you have to do is wait."

Tian Daniu was stunned for a moment, then he held the amulet tightly in both hands and bowed repeatedly, "Thank you, Taoist priest, thank you, Taoist priest!"

After bowing twice, his body swayed and he almost fell forward, but was supported by Xue Shao.

He picked up the crutch that fell on the ground and put it in his hand, then went with Pan Yun to chase Zhu Qizhen and his four companions who had already gone far away.

Although they were chasing, the two were obviously not in a hurry. It was enough to just see their backs from a distance.

Xue Shao said without looking away: "You are really brave. Aren't you afraid that he will think you are trying to sow discord? Instead of being provoked, you will tell Wang Zhen about this."

"If Wang Zhen intervenes, not only Tian Daniu's family, but also you and I will die."

Pan Yun asked, "Don't you think this emperor is a man of his own ideas?"

"I used to think he was a tyrant, and was controlled by the sycophants around him, so I thought it would be better for me to control him than to be controlled by others, so I wanted to meet him."

"But after meeting him, I realized he wasn't."

Xue Shao: "Do you think he is a wise ruler?"

Pan Yun snorted and said, "He is not a wise ruler, but he is not a foolish ruler without any ideas. If I can't control him, then Wang Zhen certainly can't do it either."

"So it's better to use an open strategy than a conspiracy at this time. Even if he thinks I'm trying to sow discord, so what? It's a fact that Wang Zhen is illegal, it's also a fact that Wang Zhen is ambitious, and it's also a fact that Wang Zhen is heartless and disloyal."

Xue Shao nodded slightly, "Playing with a fool is one way to play, and playing with a person who is thoughtful and sober is another way to play."

Pan Jun raised the corner of his mouth slightly, "Not bad."

Xue Shao: "You'd better leave a hook, just once, so that the unjust case can't be brought up."

"Don't worry, I've prepared a lot of good things for him before I met him." Pan Yun said, "Before I met him, I prepared a lot of good things for him who I imagined to be stupid."

Xue Shao was very curious about what it was, but Pan Jun didn't tell him.

The two men quickened their pace and caught up with the four as they walked out of the slums.

The Jinyiwei who stayed outside came over immediately, holding the bag and asked, "Sir, do you want to change clothes?"

Zhu Qizhen pushed it away angrily, "No change!"

He walked forward with his head down, and everyone hurried to follow.

Zhu Qiyu followed silently.

Pan Yun glanced at him sideways as he caught up with him.

Zhu Qiyu looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she was looking at him.

(End of this chapter)